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Obama Signs $26B Bill Aimed At Saving Teacher Jobs by Ryan ZumMallen | Archive | 08.10.10 |
+  3:15pm | The House of Representatives today passed a $26 billion aid package that is aimed at saving the jobs of teachers and police. President Obama immediately signed the bill into law, according to the Associated Press. The bill passed the House by a 247-161 vote, but Democrats and Republicans were split. Democrats saw an opportunity to save jobs as students prepare for the coming school year, while Republicans called the bill wasteful and catering to teachers unions. Locally, it is difficult to estimate the impact that the aid will have on schools and teachers. "We don't have any idea of how that funding will break down locally yet," said Michael Day, president of the Teachers Association of Long Beach (TALB). "But it will definitely prevent layoffs next year and should be able to bring back a lot of our folks that were laid off this year." Chris Eftychiou, a spokesperson for the Long Beach Unified School District, shared a similar sentiment. "We're still determining the amount of funding that our schools will receive, but we anticipate that it will be significant," he said. "This is great news for schools. The jobs bill brings a much needed infusion of funding that will help us to maintain services for students. We hope to use this funding to preserve jobs and possibly restore some positions that have been eliminated." Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-Carson, Long Beach) voted in favor of the bill and released a statement claiming that 546 education jobs have been saved in her district because of the new law. That estimate is based on this document, which reports that Richardson's district will receive $47.6 million to save 546 jobs. “In a district where 23.8 percent of the population (approximately 160,000 youth between the ages of 5 and 18) are children, the recent announcement of pink slips was a frightening thought to the many children, parents, teachers and administrators who have seen education take a backseat in the recovery," Rep. Richardson said in a statement. Day sounded cautiously optimistic as the funding, coupled with the decision to enact five furlough days in the next school year, could save many teacher jobs in Long Beach. "With more cuts coming from the state, we are anticipating more layoffs next year," said Day. "So without knowing exactly how the state will break down that money to the district, it's hard to get an idea precisely of how many jobs that will mean. But obviously it's a great thing and it's going to be a lot better than it would have otherwise."
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26 Comments so far.
Newportfiji What a waste. They came out of vacation for a $26 billion spending bill to bail out the teachers' unions. Obama's continued spending surge has left us with a weak and faltering economy, and, with budget deficits of such massiveness, there is little room for new policy. More importantly, future taxes to pay for these binges will keep the economy in dire straights for years to come. We should force the schools to eliminate their waste and reduce their bloated pensions. Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. JR Salazar In the words of Monty Burns..."Excellent." Paul No, throwing money at a problem is never a solution...until you want to buy the Governor's seat, then $100,000,000 is no problem. Folks, Bush inherited a small surplus and left us with a huge deficit and no way out except to try to spend our way out. It's the only hope. That $26 Billion will circulate in our economy -- slowly, but surely. Bixby Knolls Resident If you've ever dealt with heroin addicts you know that you are never to give them either the drug or money to buy the drug. This implies that $47.6M will be needed EVERY year to keep the addiction going. Not until the public feels the pain through the increase in Federal, State and Local taxes will this madness end. Therefore...the end may soon be in sight! Belmont Bob Here goes another batch of money, when is the wasteful spending going to quit? When we run out of money?? People need to remember from where this money comes. in reply Newportfiji made some derogatory comments about teachers and the unions. If it weren't for the unions, we wouldn't have teachers. What bloated pensions are you referring to? While teachers don't pay the 6% into social security, they do pay the 8% into the teachers' retirement. Teachers also pay union dues. All of this comes out of teachers' paychecks. What are you are talking about when it comes to waste of money. Do you know what you are talking about? Common Sense Yes, Teachers & Government Employees pay into their pension/retirements. The problem is...all their money comes from...you guessed it...The Taxpayers. It boils down to one thing...Roll back spending period. CHARLIE Well let's face it "We the People", when you have a President that is aloof, arrogant and deceitful and a hell bent Liberal Congress as your backup with all that money going to the unions again and again and again - it's not too hard to figure out where we're heading and whose responsible; There's only one way you can stop it and save our Country from being totally raped any further - VOTE THEM OUT NOV.2nd! Bill of Rights "Richardson's district will receive $47.6 million to save 546 jobs." That's $87,180 per job. The lowest seniority teachers (i.e. lowest paid) were laid off. Where's the excess going? How do we pay them next year, or do we lay them off again? WHEN WILL WE STOP SPENDING MONEY WE DON'T HAVE? Resident I am pretty sure that if there were any plans to lay off 546 LBSD employees that Michael Day and the teachers union would have made sure that it was in the news long before this bill was passed and Laura Richardson put this number out there. I guise that I am having a problem believing the Union representatives, Laure and Michael LB Teacher Resident: 557 teachers in Long Beach were laid off last month and it was in the news. Some have been restored due to the union agreeing to five furlough days and retirements, but still approx. 340 are laid off. I should know ... I'm one of them. CalHeightsJohnny One way or another, we pay. Let's look at it this way. We’ll leave the tired union versus non-union and who is at fault for the current economic conditions mumbo jumbo that prevents reasonable discussion and look at this purely from a jobs standpoint, especially since that’s what polls repeatedly say Americans are most concerned about. In this case, it's estimated to be 546 fairly well paid local jobs at stake, multiplied exponentially across the country. Logic of Option #1: We're out of money, let the jobs go. We must live within our means, so it's a necessary sacrifice. For the good of the people, another 546 people go on extended unemployment while they search for new jobs in a constricted job market. Their unemployment, paid by taxpayers, will be significantly less than their typical paychecks, so they will tend to tighten their belts, eat out less, shop less, pay less in income taxes and sales taxes, etc. Home improvement projects come to a standstill and many may find it difficult to keep paying the rent or mortgage altogether. As is already happening throughout the country, some sell their homes at a loss or go into foreclosure. Businesses and government coffers suffer and even more jobs are put on the line as a result. It represents the vicious circle that makes economic downturns so very difficult to manage. In the meantime we also lose the benefits of the tasks being performed by those who have been laid off - in this case, teachers and police. In a sense, we pay them to do nothing. Option #2: It hurts, but we find a way to stave off adding to the unemployment rolls while receiving the benefits of their tasks. In this case, deficit spending keeps police on the street and keeps teachers in the classrooms. It’s basically what many conservatives and liberals alike proclaimed in the 1990s was the better answer to Welfare and unemployment; Workfare. Their income continues to support their households and local economies through their spending, the primary means of supporting the capitalist way of life we all celebrate. With private sector jobs, the implications of unemployment are far worse, since the cost of COBRA benefits leads many to drop healthcare coverage as well, another burden we all pay for when the uninsured get sick or injured. Again, either way we pay â€' why not pay for something that gives us something in return? Put in a more personal context, our household experienced a year long stint of unemployment following a layoff from a thirty year career in corporate America. Perfect storm â€' a new roof is needed. Logic #1: Times are tough; we must sacrifice our need for a new roof. The big winter rains come and in comes the water. Now we need new plaster and insulation, hardwood floors and replacement of compromised electrical components, new clothes to replace the moldy summer ones that sat silently wet at the back of the closets, etc, but still no money to do it. The costs continue to multiply. Option #2: Use the equity line (deficit spending) to put on a new roof. The roofer makes money, the factory that makes the shingles gets an order and we have a dry house. We still have to pay, but we pay for a new roof, minus the associated damages. Either way we pay, but, which option gives us the bigger bang for our buck? Pigeon The only thing Obama and Co. care about is income redistribution. He and his don't give a fig about the huge debt he has incurred. All this action does is kick the can down the street. Ever heard of across the board salary cuts and living within you means? lb republican Paul, The only way for government to put money in to the economy is to take it out first. Bush entered office with a dwindling economy left by Clinton. Cut taxes, dropped unemployment to 4.5%, then the democrats won congress and the economy went to hell. Thils time I'm pro Union If the teacher's union have their way this money will be used to hire more teachers - that a good thing! If it was just left to LBUSD the money would just go to funding more meaningless "studies" and hiring addition vice principals. Since that is the choice, I think I'll support the union THIS TIME. olderandwiser49 If we weren't spending $58 Billion per year to educate the children of illegal immigrants, this $26B check wouldn't even have to be written! And Paul, they're not spending their way out. They are trying to borrow their way out of debt, and you won't find any economist, not paid by Obama's Empire, that can justify it. You are correct that throwing money at the problem solves nothing. I just showed a way to start reducing the deficit. Next comes repeal of the Obamacare Manifesto, reduction in government bureaucracy at every level (including the Czars), etc. Presto, the deficit is cut at least in half without a single tax increase. Our current Administration and Congress couldn't manage the complexities of the finances of a street vendor! SaveOurChildren Obama is arrogant and needs to go. He no longer represents the taxpayers, he just does what he wants with our money. Why do we bother voting? THEY just do what they want anyway. WE voted down the school budget (over 80% goes to pensions and benefits) now HE disagrees and takes OUR money to fund what we voted DOWN? Is this what our representatives are supposed to do--the opposite of what we want? Obama thinks whatever he wants to do is best with no regard for the citizens. Talk about taxation without representation! Time for a revolution, it is the only way to restore our grandchildren's future. LB Native Why is there an advertisement directly over the article? Yes, LBUSD is in desperate need of these funds to keep the schools running efficiently. This is a great school district that wins many awards for education but with more money leaving the district how can we possibly ensure safety and best possible education for the children. How can you consider this a waste when it directly effects the classrooms/children. The state has left the schools holding the burden and now it's the Districts problem to ensure kids will continue to have a safe learning environment. LBUSD employee... East Side This bill is deficit neutral,it is paid for by closing the tax loophole that allows U.S corporations profit from offshoring jobs. So to all the Obama bashing "born again" deficit hawks, put a sock in it. Do you really want to sacrifice childrens education for a political agenda. teachlbtoo i am also in the lb teacher union. they are as bad as the worst politicians! the money from our checks is given to causes many of us are against. but we have no choice. why is a union office staffed by 8 or 9 ft employees? make it pt and have people in the district share pt responsibility. also why does lbusd have 2 say it with me folks 2 - principals per hs??? !!! most of them are useless too.. cut admin and union - go teachers! Charles A. Twain I am not a big fan of bailouts like TARP, but the 10 billion going to teachers should help the economy across the board. The money will not sit in bank vaults, like TARP, it will circulate quickly. Two billion will go back to the treasury this year and next in the form of fed. income tax, 4 billion will go to pay mortgages or landlords, 2 billion will go to grocery stores and restaurants, 500 million to local taxes, and 1.5 billion will be saved, spent at the home improvement stores, clothing stores,etc. Heck I bet Walmart ends up with 750 million themselves. And, it will all be spent in the next 12 months (oh yea, almost forgot,the schools in the US will be partially restored to pre-Bushama staffing ratios). AND THE BILL IS PAID FOR!(fellow republicans feel free to laugh here. Johnny Yuma Obama loves to send our money! For those of us who are anti “One World Government”, “New World Order”, by the Global Elitists of the Bilderberg Group, Trilateral Commission and the Council on Foreign Relations etc. Write to David Rockefeller and protest their War Policies, Eugenics and de-industrialization of America at: David Rockefeller, 146 â€' East 65th Street, New York City, NY. 10065 USA http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1107696/david_rockefeller_speaks_about_population_control/ David Rockefeller Speaks About Population Control http://zombietime.com/john_holdren/ Another concern we have is John Holdren, Obama’s Science Czar: John Holdren = Forced abortions. Mass sterilization. A "Planetary Regime" with the power of life and death over American citizens. People who "contribute to social deterioration" (i.e. undesirables) "can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility" -- in other words, be compelled to have abortions or be sterilized. • A transnational "Planetary Regime" should assume control of the global economy and also dictate the most intimate details of Americans' lives -- using an armed international police force. Along with his close friends and colleagues, Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich, John Holdren desires to see American's lives controlled by Big Government, from the cradle to the Grave! Impossible, you say? That must be an exaggeration or a hoax. No one in their right mind would say such things. Check it out! The reason we must vote out Establishment Government Representatives whether they are Left or Right, Incumbent or Candidate is explained on this 2 minute News Clip below: TWO Party Paradyne System News clip: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2824363/the_obama_deception_extra_part_2 LONG BEACH GRAD look, to address LB Native, I was a grad of an lb school, and let me say your claim that they are the best is a subatomic understatement. In fact I would really regard it as a PC hell-hole and underprepared and highly apathetic student factory!! This should come under conditions, specifically greater efficiency, holding back DUMB kids until they get the material and more than that greater expectations! I do believe that unions to some extents have their importance, but honestly come on lets think of the dumb students who need a real education! 6 hours in school, inefficient administration, highly exaggerated claims on success, unacceptable!!!! Esteban This LBPost board is frightening. I don't know who to direct my comments to, so I will just select one of the many complete idiots on this board, teachlbtoo, why don't you quit your job? You don't like the union, right... there are many different schools that will hire you that are not unionized. Sorry folks, $26 billion spent on public education is a drop in the bucket of our federal budget... my question is why don't we invest more money in public education? Let's keep spending money on fighting the "war on terror." I would love to calculate how much each bona fide terrorist we have killed has cost this country... probably several billion each. Wake up you jack****, stop blaming investing in education, we need to spend more not less! LONG BEACH HS GRAD Now that I think about it, lets use that money to fund gifted education, get the best and brightest as well as extremely exceptional out of public schools and into programs that will optimize their potential!! Look they will carry the burden of the country as well as the rest of the world, give those with the ability to do more than 1000 typical students a chance!!!!!!! Long Beach Teacher Unreal that people are saying this is to save unions?? I have lived with a teacher who has been laid off twice, one last year and again this year due to the bungling of the budget by Long Beach Unified. Put the blame where it belongs, in the school's inept bureaucratic system and not teachers who have enough to deal with in the classroom itself. Shame on you silly people who have been sold the "save the union" herring and swallowed it hook and sinker.
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Ryan ZumMallen has served as the managing editor of the LBPOST.com since 2007. He graduated from CSULB with a degree in Print Journalism in 2008 and is a member of the 2009 class of Leadership Long Beach. You can find him on various basketball courts around the city.
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